In pictures: Operation Blenheim which put the gang behind bars

Detectives seized luxury Rolex and Tag Heuer watches and jewellery from the gang, as well as a caravan owned by Welsh Jnr in Gronant, north Wales.

The Welshs’ right- hand-man Mark Shields, 45, controlled a network of drugs “warehousemen” in Kirkdale, Walton and Everton and drug runners who made 111 trips to Glasgow in a year.

Police made a number of seizures in that time recovering drugs with a street value of just under £12m.

But the 111 trips are believed to have involved shipping up to two kilograms of drugs at a time, putting the potential street value at up to £200m.

Passing sentence on the gang members, the crown court judge said the conspiracy was "highly sophisticated, efficient and lucrative".

Judge David Aubrey told the gang: “Profit, for many of you, was your goal. The conspiracy was well-planned and well-executed. It was driven by many of you through a desire for wealth and the good life.”

Welsh Jnr, 35, and Welsh Snr, 56, of Paley Close, Anfield, were jailed for 16 years and eight months, and 15 years and four months respectively for conspiracy to supply the class A drugs.

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Alastair Machray

Alastair Machray was appointed editor of The Liverpool Echo in 2005 and is also editor-in-chief of Trinity Mirror Merseyside, Cheshire and North Wales. He is a former editor of The Daily Post (Wales and England) and editor-in-chief of the company's Welsh operations. Married dad-of-two and keen golfer Alastair is one of the longest-serving newspaper editors in the country. His titles have won numerous awards and spearheaded numerous successful campaigns.